Zuba Network Films

When we talk about innovation that matters, we’re talking about women like Belinda Akaba Ghana’s first female Electric Vehicle Technician and a rising force in Africa’s clean energy movement.

“Growing up, I saw few women in engineering, especially in the field. I wanted to change that.
I chose engineering to push beyond what I thought was possible.” Belinda Akaba

With over 5 years of hands-on experience in electric mobility, solar energy, and sustainable transport, Belinda now serves as Chief Technician at Wulling and Grace Mobility Ghana, converting traditional fuel tricycles into electric ones, with a goal for a cleaner Ghana

"Venturing into the EV industry as a young lady working with a lot of men, who were trying to tell me that I can't work on batteries. Taking the rifts, and letting them know that what they can do, I can do it, not fully to their expectations but by learning twice than them." She shares.

In a field where women are often pushed to the sidelines, Belinda chose the frontline. She’s not only powering vehicles, she’s charging an entire generation of women to step into green tech and own their space in Africa’s sustainability future.

But the road isn’t without potholes. From high-voltage batteries to limited charging infrastructure and low technician numbers, Belinda sees every challenge as a reason to go further.

“5 or 10 years to come, there will be a whole lot of Electric Vehicles in Ghana, because we currently have about 17,000 EVs in Ghana, with more people importing and 10 EV companies. Ghana’s EV industry will grow but only if we train, build, and open doors. Especially for women.” Belinda Akaba

She reminds us that your gender doesn’t define your ability, the field is a powerful place for women not only in offices, and when women lead in innovation, entire industries shift.

Tomorrow, she will be the reason more African girls believe they can.

Follow her journey:

Ugandan entrepreneur Sandra Namboozo (26) partnered with Samuel Muyita (28) to rewrite what purposeful innovation looks like.

They recently won the Community Healers Prize at the European Patent Office’s Young Inventors Prize 2025 for Karpolax, a biodegradable sachet that extends the shelf life of fruits by 30 days, saving 2,238 tonnes of food every month and boosting incomes for smallholder farmers.

Karpolax also won the Milken-Motsepe Prize of $300,000 in 2023 and now, over 16,000 farmers are actively using Karpolax sachets, cutting post-harvest losses by 45%.

This is why their strategy matters for all purpose-driven founders:

• Root challenge coupled with lived experience gives deep insight. Raised in farming families, Sandra and Samuel understood fruit spoilage not as a statistic, but as loss. Their innovation emerged from that empathy.

• Simple, plant-based tech with real-world use. They developed a sachet using cloves, lemongrass, eucalyptus, and wintergreen to regulate ethylene and prevent spoilage. This was tested to be effective, practical, yet locally sourced.

• From a pilot to impact and now need for scale. In Uganda alone, they’ve helped over 100 farmers, 20 exporters, 250 vendors, and prevented over 1 million tonnes of fruit spoilage in just three years.

• Recognition leads to resources. Their solution just earned them EUR 20,000, enabling further research and development and greater reach.

So you can begin with deep empathy, understand the lived pain. Innovate with simplicity and sustainability. Then test locally, and scale globally.

"Empowering women is not about giving them a seat at the table, it's about creating a table where every woman has a voice, and her ideas and opinions are not just heard but valued." Sandra Namboozo

In a world hungry for solutions, Karpolax isn’t just preserving fruit it’s preserving hope, prosperity, and dignity. Just invest in visibility because recognition draws resources, partners, and trust. That’s strategy in action.

Share how are you using your insight to build purpose-driven innovation?

Interact with them on their socials:
X: |
LinkedIn: Namboozo | Muyita

On this World Vitiligo Day, we bring back confidence for every African woman living with Vitiligo. Meet Cerinah Tugume, founder of Serene Beauty Uganda , the premier hair and makeup haven with 17 years at the helm. She had lived with vitiligo for over 30 years and now uses her story to light the path for others.

But more than her skin, it is her spirit that shines.
A Few Confidence Reminders from Cerinah

1. Your skin tells a story, but it is not your whole story. What people see is only the beginning. You are allowed to be layered, radiant, and real.

2. You’re not broken, instead you are becoming.
“This condition, though you don’t understand it now, will shape you into someone strong, kind, wise, and full of purpose.” Cerinah

3. Embrace the unknown with softness.
There will be moments of confusion. But there will also be clarity. There will be pain. But also peace.

4. Healing begins with language.
Let’s unlearn harmful myths because Vitiligo is not contagious, It isn’t caused by milk or fish, It is not a punishment.

The truth is, It is a chronic autoimmune condition and early care can make all the difference.

5. Beauty is not a look. It’s a becoming.
The patches, the shifts, the visible changes, these are not flaws, they are footprints of your journey.

World Vitiligo Day 2025 is about innovation and this year's theme is putting AI at the heart of the conversation. Artificial intelligence is helping, to diagnose vitiligo earlier, personalize treatment better, build more inclusive skin-care solutions, and empower care for every skin.

This is about access, awareness, and agency.
Because vitiligo isn’t just medical. It’s deeply personal. And visibility leads to transformation.

"This condition called vitiligo, though you don't understand it now, will one day become something you see so differently. What feels like a burden will shape you into some one strong, kind, wise, and full of purpose." Cerinah Tugume.

Learn the truth, Speak with love and Share this story.Tag someone who needs to be reminded:
You are not less. You are luminous.

Follow Cerinah on Instagram at:

For over 13 years, Gloria Haguma has shaped conversations around fashion, identity, and modern womanhood through her work as a columnist at Daily Monitor, that attracts over 14.4 million visits per month. She also works at the weekend editions of sqoop, and Full Woman.

But beyond the bylines, she’s a fashion diplomat living proof that style is not just about clothing, it’s a language.

“Style can signal preparation, confidence, respect, and creativity, all without saying a word.”

There’s a kind of beauty that turns heads not because it’s loud, but because it’s effortless. The kind that whispers elegance. That’s the energy Gloria embodies, and today, she shares what it means to refine your style without losing your soul.

Gloria’s Guide to Effortless Sophistication:

1. Let Color Do the Talking. For example Olive and Gold embody an earthy, rich, regal vibe
Chocolate and Cream reflect a Soft, luxurious, and timeless elegance. Navy, White and Tan give a Classic, clean, and confident look

2. Choose Quality Over Clutter
A smaller wardrobe with high-quality pieces always outshines the one overflowing with trends. Look for cotton, silk, linen, wool, and structured knits.

3. Grooming is Part of Your Look
Your nails, hair, and makeup matter. Think soft glam like having polished brows, luminous skin, and a touch of lip gloss.

4. Less is More with Accessories
One or two standout pieces like a gold watch or leather handbag say more than a loud statement of rings, chains and the like

5. Know When to Say No
If it doesn’t feel like you, let it go. Trends should never overpower your truth.

"True style isn’t about noise. It’s about being the most refined version of yourself quietly confident, undeniably you." Gloria Haguma

Follow Gloria for more timeless elegance:
Instagram: |
LinkedIn: Haguma Gloria

This Saturday is about sisterhood, we pause to celebrate softness, sacredness, and the rituals that reconnect us with ourselves.

Meet Hamamat Montia, Ghanaian beauty queen turned wellness goddess and the voice behind Hamamat African Beauty, crafted from storytelling and her handmade shea butter rituals.

Through her instagram handle , that attracts over 1.1 million followers, She shares why an African woman should wash her hair regularly and this is why it matters

“Your hair is sacred. It holds power, it holds memory, it holds energy.”

As Black women, we know the braid, the wrap, the texture, the scent they are all part of our legacy. But beyond the beauty, there is ritual.

"As women, no matter your culture, the most traditional feminine thing you could do is allow water on your scalp. It heals, it breathes." She says

Because sometimes, the stress we carry isn’t in our minds, it’s in our hair. It’s not just about looking beautiful, It’s about cleansing, connecting to your higher self and releasing energy.

"Now scents carry energy, and it's important for you to be aware of the kind of scent your hair is carrying," she adds

Just like you would do with precious jewels where you have to Polish it, your hair needs that attention, because that's your crown

So today, we invite you to rinse, soften, and reset. Let the water bless your roots, let your crown breathe, and let your scent remind you that joy is your birthright.

“People get unforgettable, when you remember your crown.” Hamamat Montia

Tag a sister you want to pour love into today.
Remind her: she’s golden, glowing, and grounded.

Follow her socials for more beauty, skincare and wellness tips:



hamamat.com

This Saturday is about sisterhood, we pause to celebrate softness, sacredness, and the rituals that reconnect us with ourselves.

Meet Hamamat Montia, Ghanaian beauty queen turned wellness goddess and the voice behind Hamamat African Beauty, crafted from storytelling and her handmade shea butter rituals.

Through her instagram handle , that attracts over 1.1 million followers, She shares why an African woman should wash her hair regularly and this is why it matters

“Your hair is sacred. It holds power, it holds memory, it holds energy.”

As Black women, we know the braid, the wrap, the texture, the scent they are all part of our legacy. But beyond the beauty, there is ritual.

"As women, no matter your culture, the most traditional feminine thing you could do is allow water on your scalp. It heals, it breathes." She says

Because sometimes, the stress we carry isn’t in our minds, it’s in our hair. It’s not just about looking beautiful, It’s about cleansing, connecting to your higher self and releasing energy.

"Now scents carry energy, and it's important for you to be aware of the kind of scent your hair is carrying," she adds

Just like you would do with precious jewels where you have to Polish it, your hair needs that attention, because that's your crown

So today, we invite you to rinse, soften, and reset. Let the water bless your roots, let your crown breathe, and let your scent remind you that joy is your birthright.

“People get unforgettable, when you remember your crown.” Hamamat Montia

Tag a sister you want to pour love into today.
Remind her: she’s golden, glowing, and grounded.

Follow her socials for more beauty, skincare and wellness tips:



hamamat.com

Shop Shea Butter Products & More | Hamamat African Village Experience the magic of Africa with Hamamat's shea butter and beauty products, freshly handmade in Ghana, West Africa.

Visibility is a strategy, and for Angela Waweru, it changed everything. As the co-founder of Sister Speaks Global, Angela Waweru leads the “Heels for Pads” initiative through her Instagram shop, . Here, customers buy shoes in exchange for at least a year’s supply of sanitary pads.

This initiative has already supported over 24,000 girls and is fueling her mission to reach more than 50,000 girls across Kenya by providing PAD ATM machines that dispense free sanitary pads to schoolgirls. Angela has cultivated a strong digital presence, with her podcasts on Capital FM Kenya alone amassing over 600,000 streams.

With more than 14 years of experience, Angela has built her brand by consistently sharing her mission, engaging authentically online, and inviting others into her journey. Yet, despite such success stories, only 31% of women globally use platforms like Amazon, Alibaba, or Jumia for business (cherieblairfoundation.org).

Angela shares strategies to harness the power of social media and build something bold and meaningful:

• Social media is free. "Use social media to share your work, you never know who’s going to stumble on it. They might be the person who gives you the opportunity you’re looking for.”

• Build with backup.
Angela advises women to always have a backup plan. Embedding e-commerce into your website, for instance, can help stabilize income.
As she puts it: “Each obstacle only strengthens our resolve.”

• Be intentional online.
“Even if you work all day in your shop, store, or hotel, identify how you want to appear online. What are you trying to sell? What story are you telling? Which narrative are you pushing?”

• Follow aligned people.
Angela recommends following people who share your niche or personality. “If you’re in tech, follow people in tech. Look for those who can help promote what you’re building.”

• Find your tribe.
Look for people with aligned passions for partnerships, feedback, or fresh ideas.

• Stay consistent.
Even when the money isn’t flowing, stay the course. Because sometimes, the opportunity you’re looking for is just one post away.

“No one knows what you do unless you share it. In a world where social media is free, visibility is a strategy.” Angela Waweru

Are you just building your brand or are you sharing it? What story are you telling with your online presence?

Share in the comments: how has social media helped or challenged your entrepreneurship journey?

Check out her platform for selling heels

For more information, visit website: heels4pads.org

TikTok:
LinkedIn: Angela W

There’s a small voice inside you. A whisper.
Maybe you hear it when you’re doing your hair, feeding your baby, waiting for a job call, or catching your breath after a long day.
That voice that says: “There’s more to me than this.”

Mercy Johnson, one of Nollywood’s most beloved stars, once earned N10,000 a month. She worked as a housemaid, cleaning, surviving, hiding her dreams behind survival.
But even at her lowest, she never gave up on her self

"Today, when I look back, I tell people 'never stop believing in yourself'. Even when things feel impossible, something good is coming. Just keep going. Your story will change too." Mercy Johnson

From earning N10K to N100K overnight, Mercy’s life turned with one opportunity because she didn’t silence the voice inside her.

"I was working as a housemaid, doing everything I could to survive. But I never gave up. I kept showing up. One day, someone noticed me, a friend who saw how hard I worked. That friend told a movie producer about me. Just like that, my life changed". Mercy Johnson

But there is power in showing up. It unlocks closed doors and awakens the quiet abilities within you, guiding you toward something greater than you ever imagined.

"I got a role in a film called The Maid. I played a housemaid, just like I was in real life. I didn’t have to pretend. I just acted from my pain, my truth. That one scene changed everything for me. My story turned around overnight. I cried. I smiled. I felt seen." Mercy Johnson

So what is that small voice in you saying today?
It doesn’t have to be loud, it just has to be honest.
Your pain can birth power. Your truth can open doors, and one day, your story, like Mercy’s, will make someone else feel seen.

Let this be your reminder that your story can start anywhere. It’s where you choose to take it that matters.

To the African woman holding back her brilliance, your truth is enough, and when it’s time, it will be seen.


There’s a small voice inside you. A whisper.
Maybe you hear it when you’re doing your hair, feeding your baby, waiting for a job call, or catching your breath after a long day.
That voice that says: “There’s more to me than this.”

Mercy Johnson, one of Nollywood’s most beloved stars, once earned N10,000 a month. She worked as a housemaid, cleaning, surviving, hiding her dreams behind survival.
But even at her lowest, she never gave up on her self

"Today, when I look back, I tell people 'never stop believing in yourself'. Even when things feel impossible, something good is coming. Just keep going. Your story will change too." Mercy Johnson

From earning N10K to N100K overnight, Mercy’s life turned with one opportunity because she didn’t silence the voice inside her.

"I was working as a housemaid, doing everything I could to survive. But I never gave up. I kept showing up. One day, someone noticed me, a friend who saw how hard I worked. That friend told a movie producer about me. Just like that, my life changed". Mercy Johnson

But there is power in showing up. It unlocks closed doors and awakens the quiet abilities within you, guiding you toward something greater than you ever imagined.

"I got a role in a film called The Maid. I played a housemaid, just like I was in real life. I didn’t have to pretend. I just acted from my pain, my truth. That one scene changed everything for me. My story turned around overnight. I cried. I smiled. I felt seen." Mercy Johnson

So what is that small voice in you saying today?
It doesn’t have to be loud, it just has to be honest.
Your pain can birth power. Your truth can open doors, and one day, your story, like Mercy’s, will make someone else feel seen.

Let this be your reminder that your story can start anywhere. It’s where you choose to take it that matters.

To the African woman holding back her brilliance, your truth is enough, and when it’s time, it will be seen.

In the heart of Mogadishu, two young women are laying a foundation of faith, courage, and visibility for generations to come, through the power of civil engineering.

Meet Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar. Both 24, both engineers and bold architects of Somalia’s future.

Together, they have contributed to more than 30 multi-million dollar projects in Mogadishu. Today, they’re leading the construction of a 10-storey apartment complex in Hodan District

In Somalia, only 5% of engineers are women. Their team? Entirely male. But these two women are not shrinking back because their vision is expansive.

“When I started, people doubted me. They would ask, ‘How can we trust a house built by a woman? How can I trust my money and property with a young female engineer?’” says Fathi, now the Chief Operating Officer of Arkan Engineering Services.

But doubt isn’t a dead end. It’s where transformation begins.

Saadia adds, “Mogadishu needs us… When I was young, this city was in chaos. Now, we are part of its reconstruction.”

This is what resilience looks like: women in hard hats, with steady voices and work boots grounded on soil their mothers were once told not to step on.

They are rebuilding a city, while reclaiming space for every African woman who has ever been underestimated.

Because the path isn’t always paved. Sometimes, you build it yourself.

Doubt isn’t the end. It’s the beginning. Whether it’s concrete or creativity, your work is worthy.

Tag a woman building something bold. Honor her, remind her that the skyline needs her too.

Follow them: https://www.facebook.com/boqoradareer.jowle

Every idea starts with a dream, but dreams need trust, strategy, and alignment to grow. Nataliey Bitature, Ugandan entrepreneur and currently serving as Director and Chief of Staff Simba Group, puts it simply: People don’t just fund ideas, they fund people they believe in.

As a leadership and performance coach for African women and African entrepreneurs, she shares tips to thrive in Crowd funding, and ways to devise meaningful partnerships.

On Crowdfunding she shares that It’s not just about posting a pretty pitch and waiting for magic, but it’s about earning trust.

"Show up clearly. Tell the truth of your journey. Use visuals. Share your process. Let people feel the vision, not just read it. That’s how strangers become your backers" Dr. Nataliey Bitature.

On Partnerships she tips to choose Partnerships With Wisdom because not all partnerships are meant to be.Before you commit, pause.

"Are your values aligned? Do you both know what you’re bringing in? How will decisions be made when it gets tough?"

As she puts it, too many women walk into partnerships built on friendship or “vibes,” only to end up burnt out and boxed in.

"Protect your peace. Define your roles. Be honest about what you want before you say yes."

Nataliey’s advice is the kind of mentorship our ecosystem needs more of: clear, unfiltered, and rooted in wisdom.

Whether you’re pitching to strangers online or walking into a room with a potential partner, clarity, truth, and alignment are your best strategy.

Build slow if you must. But build right.

Follow her on her socials:
https://ug.linkedin.com/in/natalieybitature

https://www.instagram.com/drtaliey/

https://www.facebook.com/NatalieyBitature/

https://twitter.com/drtalieybita

At just 14, Mwape Chimpampa is turning loss into legacy. After losing her father to skin cancer, she created her own blend of organic sunscreen, made from turmeric, banana, honey, and milk to protect others from the same fate.

“To other young ones and others who may be interested in innovation, I would advise them, not to see a problem as a roadblock. Your problem can be the beginning to your success.” —Mwape Chimpampa

Mwape’s formula debuted at the 2024 National JETS Fair, standing out for its mission: to make affordable sunscreen for people with albinism and other sensitive skin types.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the sun is harsh and sunscreen is scarce, often imported, costly, and out of reach. Mwape’s project, now being incubated for clinical testing, could soon be distributed through clinics and health centers across Zambia, reducing dependency on expensive imports and boosting local economies.

She’s now focused on improving shelf life and registering the product for wider use through schools, clinics, and NGOs.

This story asks: What pain could you turn into meaning? What solution do you carry?
Honor your inner innovator, journal your “why" and sketch the idea you’ve hidden.

Reach out to a sister who’s building and share this story with a girl who needs to remember her voice can be the spark.

You don’t need to have alot of resources, but rather be rooted in your idea, be intentional, and get ready to start like Mwape.

They were once called refugees. Today, they are icons. Not just for their unforgettable beauty, but for the quiet strength they carry, and the doors they’ve opened for others.

From Alek Wek to Adut Akech, Akon Changkou, Sabah Koj, and Nyakim Gatwech, South Sudanese women are not just walking the world’s runways. They are rewriting what global beauty looks like, rooted in melanin, memory, and magnificent defiance.

Here’s why their presence is more than fashion, it’s a movement:

1. Striking, Singular Beauty
Statuesque frames. Deep, luminous skin. Sculpted cheekbones. A look the world can’t ignore and editors, designers, and photographers chase for its sheer power on the page and runway.

2. Embodied Representation
In a world slowly waking up to the need for true diversity, these women carry the presence of a continent, offering not just a look, but a lineage.

3. Stories That Speak
Many come from refugee camps or post-conflict communities. Their journeys, of survival, grace, and becoming, bring emotion, purpose, and depth to the brands they represent.

“We are a young country. We need to go out there and meet people. We need to do things that everyone else is doing.”
— Arop Akol

4. Work Ethic and Soul
Known for professionalism, humility, and grit, South Sudanese models are often described as grounded, gracious, and committed. Their character behind the camera matches their radiance in front of it.

5. Bold Cultural Identity
With voices like Nyakim Gatwech challenging colorism, and Adut Akech advocating for refugee representation, these women aren’t just models. They’re messengers.

6. A Rising Ecosystem of Support
From Alek Wek’s trailblazing path to global agencies like IMG and partnerships with the UNHCR, doors are opening and sisterhood is flowing through them.

“Alek Wek was doing this before I was born. And she’s still doing it now. South Sudanese models are going far.”
— Arop Akol

In a world hungry for depth and difference, South Sudanese women are offering both gracefully, powerfully, and unapologetically. This is not a trend. This is African excellence, embodied.

Read the full feature on BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cre99ldr515o